As the Bears, Cubs, and Blackhawks give Chicago new energy, the White Sox quietly continue building toward a future that deserves to be part of the city’s optimism.
One of the beautiful things about sports—especially in a great sports city with passionate fans and a distinct culture—is that success can completely transform day-to-day life.
There’s an electricity in the air. People are more friendly than usual. They carry themselves with more joy.
That’s the feeling around Chicago right now. In what is, in my very biased opinion, the best major city in America, the sports teams are once again giving Chicagoans something to be proud of.
The Bears are in the middle of a playoff run that nobody saw coming when the season started.
The Cubs have had a thrilling offseason, highlighted by the free-agent signing of third baseman Alex Bregman—announced right in the middle of a Bears playoff game.
Even the Chicago Blackhawks are being celebrated for their upward trajectory. Connor Bedard has come into his own as an NHL superstar this season and could very well turn Blackhawks games at the United Center back into the kind of cultural events they were during the 2010s dynasty.
This city—and these fans—haven’t experienced much collective sports luck in recent years. But right now, there’s a distinct feeling both locally and nationally that the future of Chicago sports is bright.
And yet, I don’t think you can talk about the trajectory of sports in the Windy City without mentioning the Chicago White Sox.
Like the other teams being celebrated, the White Sox have made meaningful strides in the right direction. They have a legitimately bright future ahead of them—one that often goes unrecognized by those not paying close attention.
Earlier this week, Chicago radio hosts on 670 The Score called on the White Sox and Bulls to “step up” and match the ascension of the city’s other teams.
Criticize the Bulls all you want. That organization looks completely lost.
But if you don’t recognize what’s happening with the White Sox right now, you’re telling on yourself.
Even White Sox general manager Chris Getz has acknowledged the positive vibe surrounding Chicago sports—but he firmly believes his team is next in line to give the city something to celebrate.
“You look around the city and the direction we are headed,” Getz said recently. “You get an Alex Bregman signing to the Cubs. The last couple of weeks, I think it has really gotten people excited about the future of Chicago sports.” (via Scott Merkin)
“There’s some real momentum here,” Getz added. “We are set up to continue that momentum. You really never know where it’s going to take you. We’ve shown an ability to maneuver and adapt. We feel like we’re in a good place right now—and it’s only going to get better.” (via Scott Merkin)
So let’s actually talk about the direction of the White Sox—because the progress made over the last calendar year certainly matches, if not exceeds, what the Blackhawks have shown during their rebuild.
Players like Colson Montgomery and Kyle Teel looked every bit the part of future All-Stars during their rookie 2025 seasons.
Starting pitcher Shane Smith became an All-Star after the White Sox snagged him in the Rule 5 Draft.
Getz has assembled an exciting young core that played competitive baseball in the second half of the season and still has plenty of room to grow. These players are only going to continue blossoming.
On top of that, the White Sox have developed a revitalized farm system—highlighted by the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft as the cherry on top.
The progress has been less heralded, largely because the White Sox rebuild didn’t begin on the same timeline as the Cubs or Blackhawks.
While the White Sox were winning the AL Central and making the playoffs in 2021, the Cubs were trading away the core of their 2016 World Series championship team.
Those trades produced players like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kevin Alcántara. Those drafts produced Cade Horton and Matt Shaw. Combined with more consistent free-agent spending, the Cubs have now ascended to NL Central favorites for 2026. It’s an exciting time to be a Cubs fan, no doubt.
But just because the White Sox aren’t following the exact same timeline doesn’t mean they aren’t moving in the right direction.
Any diligent fan paying attention probably feels pretty good about where the South Siders are headed.
Beyond the high-upside players already mentioned, the White Sox have overhauled much of their organizational infrastructure. Player development is better than it’s been in years. The club has opened a legitimate pathway to sign international free agents from Japan. Analytics are being utilized more than ever.
Simply put, the White Sox are finally catching up to the rest of baseball internally. Getz has also done a solid job strengthening the front office and coaching staff by bringing in respected voices from outside organizations.
And then there’s ownership. Jerry Reinsdorf isn’t going anywhere immediately, but an agreement is already in place for Justin Ishbia to purchase the team and become the controlling owner in the future.
All of this progress tends to go unnoticed when there hasn’t been on-field success—yet.
And if you want to talk about how great things feel for Chicago sports fans right now, you’re well within your rights to leave the White Sox out of the present-day conversation.
But if you’re talking about the future of Chicago sports—about a potential golden era where every team in the city has star power and legitimate championship aspirations—you can’t forget about the White Sox.
Because quietly, deliberately, and with far less fanfare, they’re building something worth believing in.